Forgive Me
by Wings of Water - SKYE
Summary: Max and Jeb meet for what might be the last time. Songfic- What I've Done by Linkin Park


What I've Done

Disclaimer- Jeb may be a retarded idiojit) but I still don't own him or Max and co.

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I stared at Max passively even though every muscle, thought, and instinct was telling me to run to her but I stayed where I was, in the middle of the once school grounds. But now, was just a desert land of flames and ashes.

This was the end and there was no going back. She'd done it, she'd saved the world, brought a new beginning upon us all. I was ashamed to say that for a moment I had doubted her.

But where did that leave us?

To me, this _was_ the end. She looked absolutely murderous in torn bloody clothes, dirt smeared over face and skin, the wind tossing her hair around her head angrily.

Yet, even though I knew that she wanted more than anything to get rid of me she stayed put. Since she was at the tender age of ten, I'd always been able to push her buttons, knew her every thought. Her biggest hopes, dreams, fears had all been laid out on a platter almost as an offering.

Now…now I felt like stranger. I wished I was "the voice" again as she stood like a statue, face a blank slate. This was our version of good bye, surrendering to each other.

Things would never go back to the old days when I tucked her in at night and was her biggest confident. I'd ruined the fragile peace that had kept our family together for those two years.

From the moment she recognized my face in the lab and on, I would be the ultimate enemy no matter how many others she came to loathe.

Betrayal is a blow not easily forgotten. It had been for the greater good, I was helping her and she didn't realize it.

_In this farewell_

_There's no blood_

_There's no alibi_

A wave of guilt and regret washed over as I took in her hurt and shaking form. She had gone through so much more emotional and physical stress in the past fourteen years than any one person would ever go through their entire lives.

And it was mostly my fault. I could've saved her, I could've told her about my leaving, I could've been more helpful, I could've saved her from a world of lies.

'_Cause I've drawn regret_

_from the truth_

_of a thousand lies_

"Max," I began softly but she cut me off with the wild eyed look of a hurt and wounded animal.

"No, don't you do that! You gave me false information just so you could keep your job. And for what?! The cost of a thousand lives!" I winced at the harshness of her words. She advanced towards me, a purpose in her steps.

"You are so lucky that I'm not the only saving the world. Without Fang this world would've been sunk." She spat in my face. My eyes narrowed.

"Fang was never a part of your destiny." I shot back at her. How could she say that? How could she think that that failure helped save the world? He had no hope for the future; he didn't have the will or heart to save anyone.

Maybe once I'd love and protected him as my own child but over time, he'd failed every test he'd been unknowingly put through. He was not fit to be associated as my son, even if not by blood.

"Then I guess your calculations are off just a little off because I'm nothing without him."

_Please let this fight be over, please forgive me._

_So let mercy come_

_And wash away_

_What I've done_

"I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't want to become like this. I never meant to hurt anyone. I'd do anything to turn back time and forget all the evil I've done. I...I...want your trust…" I declared

For a second she looked shocked but her face then changed back to a blank stare. She spends _way_ too much time with Fang. "You expect me to, after all this time, believe anything you say? I thought you were the saviors of the universe." She said snidely. I sighed and gave her a small sad smile.

"I don't expect anything out of you. I know that I don't deserve it. I probably don't even deserve your time. But is there any way we could try to put the past aside? Is there any hope that instead of the person you could know me as you can instead act like I'm a complete stranger?"

I took a deep breath and continued pouring my heart out seeing that I had gotten her full attention. "I know that I taught you to not trust strangers so as I prove myself by changing I can earn it gradually even if I never fully get it." I proposed. I knew that I had taken a risky gamble asking Max this. The thing with her is if you say the wrong thing she'll blow up. But I wanted to make it up to her, be a real father.

_Put to rest_

_What you thought of me_

_While I clean this slate_

_With the hands of uncertainty_

I waited patiently for Max to answer. She was pondering this with an obvious look of confusion on her face. I was just about to die from the anticipation of what she was going to say. This one answer could affect the future immensely. Not so much hers as mine. Now that the world was nearly saved she could do whatever she wanted. Without Max to look after I was useless and without a purpose.

"What would you do to make up for it?" she finally said. I nearly stopped breathing out of shock. She was actually taking my proposal into consideration? I couldn't believe she was taking me seriously. But I didn't have much time to dwell on that.

"Anything I can or that's in my power. I could make sure the school or Itex never rises up again under a different name. I could get you inside files on the flock's parents. Track them down for you." I answered sounding pathetically desperate.

Her face darkened a little at the mention of finding the flock's parents. "Yeah, that would be for the best," Max said softly. Upon noticing my intense stare she gave me a grim smile.

I knew the sorrow behind her words. I knew that she loved the flock more than any real family she could ever have and losing them would break her.

_I'll face myself_

_To cross out what I've become_

_Erase myself_

_And let go of what I've done_

"Tell me," she said sharply. "What I have to do to complete this stupid destiny. I want this over. It's the least you owe me."

"I suppose," I said my voice losing volume. "Just keep the flock safe for the next 48 hours and it's all over. The flyboys will self destruct and so will all Itex related labs. Without their leader, the director who has been caught, all evidence of experiments will be destroyed. Congratulations Max, you've finally saved the world." I told her.

She let out a humorless laugh. "Thanks." She said dryly.

_For what I've done_

_I start again_

_And whatever pain may come_

_Today this ends_

_I'm forgiving what I've done!_

I sighed. This was the closest I've been to Max in a long time and we now had set in motion an unsaid truce. I began to walk away, back to ruins of the school.

"Jeb!" Max called. Slowly but surely I turned around wondering what she could want. I set my eyes deep into hers to show I was listening. "Meet me in New York at Central Park. I'll be waiting. Then we'll talk about this offer you're giving because first I have to confer with "colleges". I don't run a one man show."

_I'll face myself_

_To cross out what I've become_

_Erase myself_

_And let go of what I've done_

My face twisted into a bright smile despite myself. In return I got the shadow of a smile play across her lips. At that moment a pair of dark wings swooped down to accompany Max. Fang landed next to her and from what I could see from the distance I was at Max was telling Fang what I told her.

He nodded. Fang's head whipped around to face me. "We'll see.'" He said with unreadable eyes. With that they both took to the air, spreading out their magnificent wings. Max gave me one last glance before taking off yet I knew somehow it wouldn't my last.

_What I've done_

_Forgiving what I've done_

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I hope Fang can be reasonable, he's so stubborn. If I am accepted things are really going to have to change with that boy.

Damn, that kid just so _annoying_.


End file.
